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How the Vatican Investigates the Paranormal 79

This Is How The Vatican

Actually Handles And
Investigates Matters Of

The Paranormal

Continued from Page 78

A Panel Of Priests And Cardinals
Search For Evidence Of Healing
Prayer When Necessary

For cases in which a reported medical miracle
happened because someone prayed to a saintly
candidate after his or her death, the prayers are
investigated. If Consulta Medica can't produce a
scientific explanation for the alleged miracle,
doctors pass the case to a panel of cardinals and
priests, who look for evidence of healing prayer.
If healing prayer occurred, the panel issues a
declaration. Miraculous healing in response to
prayer is seen as proof the potential saint in
question is in heaven with God. The Pope can
beatify the applicant, if he chooses; this is the
place. There's no speaking in tongues. Demonic struggling with a completely different
final step before canonization (being officially
oppression occurs when the influence of a phenomena. Truly possessed individuals can be
declared a saint). Sainthood applicants usually
demon causes the afflicted feels depressed and separated from the pack by their response to
need two verified miracles to be canonized,
drained from energy but isn't mentally prolonged prayer sessions.
unless the individual in question was a martyr.
depressed.
In the case of martyrdom, the pope may simply
“A possessed person has various general
declare sainthood.
The Vatican First Rules Out Mental attitudes towards an exorcist, who is seen by the
There Are Two Kinds Of Exorcisms Illness When Investigating A Demonic Adversary as an enemy ready to fight him.” He
Possession told Catholic News Agency. "There's no lack of
frightening facial expressions, threatening
In order to understand how the Vatican words or gestures and other things, but
investigates and handles exorcism, it's important The Vatican is just as strict about verifying especially blasphemies against God and Our
to know there are two kinds of exorcisms, minor demonic possession as it is about miracles. Lady.”
and major. Minor exorcisms don't have anything Every candidate for exorcism is thoroughly
to do with demonic possession. Major exorcisms researched to prove the existence of demonic Bishops Must Approve An Exorcism
are what movies have trained the public to think possession. In 1999, the Vatican revised
of upon hearing the word. guidelines for determining whether a person is Before Priests Can Proceed
demonically possessed or mentally ill. Now,
Every Catholic Baby Is Exorcised priests are required to consult mental health Only the bishop of the diocese in which demonic
professionals before performing exorcisms. possession takes place can grant a priest
Before Baptism
permission to perform an exorcism. The bishop
Priests Look For Symptoms Of examines the medical information provided,
This may come as a shock to Catholics who only along with the symptoms of the afflicted. If the
Genuine Possession If Doctors Rule
half paid attention in Sunday school - you were bishop believes the person is truly possessed
exorcised if you were baptized. Baptism Out Mental Illness
rather than mentally ill, he will grant permission
exorcisms are minor exorcism, and focus on
to a priest to perform an exorcism. A bishop can
protection, not possession (sorry, nothing If doctors rule out mental illness in cases of
only appoint a priest who is specifically known
paranormal here). The reasoning behind potential possession, priests look for specific
for his holiness (i.e. he must holier and wiser
baptismal exorcism can be found in The symptoms of demonic possession before
than a regular priest). Some training doesn't hurt
Catechism of the Catholic Church: “Since performing an exorcism. These symptoms
either.
Baptism signifies liberation from sin and from include speaking in foreign tongues previously
its instigator the devil, one or more exorcisms unknown to purported victim of possession and
Exorcists Are Typically Highly Trained
are pronounced over the [baptismal] candidate.” superhuman strength. Speaking in foreign
Specialists
tongues can sometimes be attributed to Foreign
Most Purported Demonic Possessions Accent Syndrome, though it's an incredibly rare
The Vatican requires exorcists to be highly
Aren't Real condition. According to the Catholic Church,
those who are demonically possessed may also trained, because demonic possession is easy to
have knowledge of things they shouldn't know, fake and hard to ascertain as true. Certain priests
According to Father Lampert, an experienced have exploited alleged victims of possession. In
exorcist who spoke to Catholic Online, true such as personal information about priests or other cases, unrecognized mental illnesses were
professionals looking into their possession.
demonic possession is exceedingly rare. Only
mistaken for demonic possession, exacerbating
one in 5,000 cases is ruled full demonic the problem by keeping the victim away from
Priests Are Taught To Weed Out Real
possession. Mild encounters with paranormal medical assistance. Priests who become
entities are far more common. A demonic Demonic Possessions By Analyzing
exorcists go through an apprentice-like process
attachment, for instance, happens when a demon Patient Reactions
by which they work under an experienced
attaches itself to a someone but doesn't take full
exorcist. These experienced exorcists are
possession. This can go unnoticed, because the According to Father Cipriano de Meo, a priest granted permission to teach by bishops. Yes,
person to whom the demon attaches only feel who has been an exorcist since 1952, most there's such a thin as an exorcism workshop. []
symptoms (like sickness) when near a holy people who believe they're possessed are